Forget Me Not
by Eva Sirico
Summary: My eyes widened. "No...please!" Hatori ignored me as his head reached for my forehead. As tears slipped down my face, I could have sworn I heard him murmur, "I'm sorry." A bright flash filled the room, and the darkness consumed me. HatorixOC
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket**

* * *

_The snow was beautiful in the moonlight. The flakes fell thickly through the air, landing gently on the crisp, white snow. Reaching out a slender hand, I smiled as a snowflake fell onto my outstretched palm before melting. Retracting my hand, I wrapped my arms around myself contentedly. As a chill wind lazily caressed my cheek, I shivered slightly._

_I felt something being draped aruond my shoulders. Glancing down, I saw a white doctor's coat enveloping me. Grasping the edges of it, I tucked it more securely around me._

_"You looked cold," a deep voice said quietly. A smile touched my face, and I looked up to see – _

_BEEP. BEEP. BEEP._

I jolted out of sleep, my hand slamming down on the alarm clock. Sitting up in my bed, I felt something wet falling down my cheeks. Reaching a hand up hesitantly, I touched my cheek to see that I was crying. Closing my eyes, I thought back to the weird dream that I woke up from. Already, it was slipping away from me, leaving a feeling of pain, loneliness, and loss in its wake. It felt like something was missing... something important...

My phone vibrated from the bedside table. Grabbing it, I saw that my agent was calling. I swallowed before answering, praying that my voice wouldn't shake and betray my feelings. "Hello?"

"Mai! Are you ready for tonight?" Chiyo called cheerfully through the speaker. "Your first big press meeting to celebrate your book! Remember to wear a formal dress, and don't forget to go to that hair appointment of yours."

"Alright. I'll find a dress for tonight." I stood up, stretching with one hand.

"You haven't found a dress yet?" Chiyo's voice betrayed shock. "Mai Katayama! I expected better of you!"

"I'm sorry," I mumbled into the phone, walking out of the bedroom and into the small kitchen area of my apartment. Searching through the cupboards for anything edible, I came up short. Sighing, I decided that I wasn't really hungry anyway. In fact, I felt a little sick to my stomach...

"Go find a dress," Chiyo ordered. "I heard about this one great shop. Here, I'll give you directions." Finding a piece of paper and a blue pen, I quickly wrote down the address. "If that one doesn't work, you can always go to that fancy dress store that I took you to before. However, I highly suggest the first one!" There was a crackling sound and Chiyo talking in the background before she came back to the phone. "I have to go. I'll see you tonight, Mai!" She quickly disconnected.

Sighing, I walked into my bathroom for a quick shower before dressing in simple clothes. After drying my hair, I tried to tame it, but quickly gave up. My hair was very short but extremely messy, as I never bothered to style it. Most days I just didn't feel like it.

Pulling on a pair of shoes, I locked the door to my apartment and exited the building. Examining the directions on the piece of paper, I took off down the street. It wasn't far of a walk, but I was too wrapped up in my thoughts about my upcoming press conference to notice.

Coming to, I realized I was standing outside of the shop. Without looking at the display windows, I walked into the building. A little bell on the door jingled as I walked inside.

"Ohohoho! A customer!" a boisterous voice exclaimed jubilantly. A memory stirred in my mind, here in a second and gone in a flash before I could remember it. I frowned. I was having an incredible feeling of deja vu...

A tall man came around the corner. He was dressed extravagantly, and had long, flowing silver hair. His face was spread in a wide smile which froze at the sight of me. _Weird, _I thought, and took a glance around the store.

I froze.

There were no formal dresses here. It was all costumes. My eyes fell on a sexy nurse outfit, and I gritted my teeth.

_Not funny, Chiyo._

"Sorry. I was looking for formal dresses," I said to the man, who was still staring at me, this time with a sad expression on his face. I blinked. "Are you okay?" I guess maybe I shouldn't be so blunt, but I can't help it. Someone once told me that it was refreshing. Who was it? I frowned again. There it was, that niggling in the back of my mind that I was forgetting something... Something important...

"I'm fine. So may I inquire as to the occasion of a formal dress?"

"My book hit best-sellers list on the market, and I'm attending a press conference on it tonight," I replied, shifting from foot to foot.

A smile alighted on his face, and his golden eyes held pride and sadness. "Congratulations are in order! This is truly a splendid occasion!"

"Thanks," I said, starting to get a little weirded out. It's like this guy knew me or something... "I'm Mai Katamaya."

"Ayame Sohma," the man replied, watching me intently.

I blinked in shock. _Sohma... _Where had I heard that name before? I know that I've heard it before... It was something important. Did I know someone who had the last name Sohma? Argh! This was driving me crazy, these feelings of deja vu and the sense of _not right_, the feeling of loss and pain...

I came to, and shook my head, trying to ward off the feelings of depression that started to settle in me again. "I'm sorry. It was nice to meet you." I started to walk out of the shop.

"Come back anytime! We'll find the perfect outfit for you!" Ayame's voice had a slightly pleading note in it.

I paused for a moment before looking back at him. Sohma... "Do I know you?" I asked, confused. "It's just that you seem really familiar..."

Shock flashed across his face before a nervous look followed. "No. I've never met you."

"Alright," I said, shrugging. "Thank you, anyway." I walked out of the shop, the bell jingling merrily, contrasting my feelings at the moment. Letting out a deep sigh, I started to walk down the street, my mind sinking once more into the thoughts of wrongness and deja vu.

* * *

As Ayame watched Mai leave the shop, he grabbed his phone and dialed a number, his thoughts grim.

"Ayame, I am working," a deep but exasperated voice said on the other end. "What do you want?"

"Mai Katamaya just walked into my shop," Ayame said, his face serious.

There was silence on the other end for a moment. "Did...did she remember?" The question was hesitant, wary, and slightly hopeful.

"No. She was looking for a formal dress and someone sent her here."

"I see." There was a large pause on the other end.

"Her book hit best-sellers list. She has a press conference tonight." Ayame smiled slightly.

"How did she seem? Happy?"

Ayame's mind flashed to her appearance. Clothes that didn't match, hair askew, dark bags under her eyes, that sad expression in her eyes... "She looked like hell."

A soft curse emitted from the other side before silence reigned in the conversation.

"Listen," Ayame began, but was quickly interrupted.

"No, Ayame. It's better if she didn't remember. I can't cause her that kind of pain. Not again." He sighed from the other end. "I have to go."

Ayame shook his head. "Hatori..."

Hatori disconnected.

* * *

A/N

Hello and welcome to my story, Forget Me Not! I hope that you liked the first chapter. If you're confused, then don't worry. All will be revealed soon.

Please review!

~Eva Sirico~


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket**

**Triggers: Depression**

* * *

"How'd I do?" I asked Chiyo as I walked off the stage, exhaling. Talking in front of people was not something that I wanted to do. It had been intense, but it was also good for my book and I was surprised at the number of people who seemed really into it, asking in-depth questions.

"You did good," Chiyo assured me, taking my arm and leading me off. "Drinks to celebrate?"

"I don't really-" I began to say, but she cut me off.

"Drink, I know." She shrugged, tucking a strand of her ridiculously straight dark hair out of her eyes. "Thought I'd ask, anyway."

"Yeah, thanks." It was quiet for a moment before Chiyo sighed.

"Look," she said, looking at me. "Mai, I know I'm your agent, but I'd like to think I'm your friend as well. For the past month or so, it seems like something's been terribly wrong. I don't know what it is, but it's seriously bringing you down. I'm not asking to know what it is, but I do want you to know that I'm open to talking if you want." Her dark eyes, suddenly serious, held mine before I dropped her gaze.

"Thanks," I mumbled, staring at my shoes.

"Anytime," Chiyo replied, looking at me worriedly.

* * *

The sense of wrongness filled me as I stared around my cramped apartment. I felt like there was something important that I couldn't remember, but it disappeared as soon as I thought to look for it. I gritted my teeth as tears of frustration ran down my face.

_I didn't live here...did I? _The conversation with my landlord flashed through my mind, about ten minutes earlier. _He had said 'Your first month's rent is almost due.' I've only been living here a month. Where had I been living before that?! I came to Japan over a year ago, but I don't remember where I was living before... How can that be possible?! What is missing?!_

A sob broke through me, and I collapsed on the floor. _I just want to remember what was so important..._

An image of the shopkeeper, Ayame, flashed through my mind. _Sohma... That name... Did I know someone named Sohma? I don't know... I can't remember! _

I huddled into a small ball, not wanting to do anything but try to block out the feelings that threatened to consume. The darkness hovered over me as a dark cloud of thought, ready to consume me. I continued to fight it, but I felt weak and powerless, and I was losing the fight.

My phone rang. I made no move to answer it, continuing to huddle on my floor, wrapping my arms around me.

_I want to remember... I want to remember anything, anything at all... _

An image flashed into my mind, and I gasped.

_Snow... The snow surrounded me, and I smiled warmly at it. Snow was always one of my favorite things._

_"Mai!" a cheerful male voice called. That voice was so familiar to me, and a feeling of affection flowed through me. I turned around to see shaggy black hair and a wide smile before the darkness filled the image._

"What was that?" I whispered, sitting up slowly. I knew him. I knew him so well that it hurt. Who was he? Why can't I remember him?

The phone rang again, and I heaved myself up to look at my called ID. The number was private. Deciding that if it was important they'd leave a message, I slowly walked into my bedroom and collapsed on the bed. A few seconds later, the phone stopped ringing, leaving me alone in the deathly quiet.

"Hello, darkness, my old friend," I whispered, closing my eyes against the onslaught of tears.

* * *

A/N

Hello, everyone, and welcome back to my story! I apologize for the rather depressing filler, but I thought it'd be a good chance to see into Mai's mind to see how she was deeply affected. The next chapter will be more interesting, as we may see some Sohmas! :)

Thank you all for the lovely reviews and I hope to see you all in Chapter 3!

~Eva Sirico~


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket**

* * *

"Mai!" Chiyo scolded. "There is no food in this apartment at all! When were you planning on going shopping?"

I shrugged from where I was curled up on the couch in comfy sweatpants, absentmindedly tapping a pen against the spiral notebook I had open in front of me. It was just one of those days where I avoided my computer like the plague and wrote out everything by hand. Currently, I was working on my sequel to the novel that hit best-sellers list, but I was stuck.

I freaking hate writer's block.

Chiyo marched over and took the notebook. "Oh, no you don't. I know that look. You have writer's block, and I know the perfect cure!"

"I want to write. Please, Chiyo?" I tried the puppy-dog eyes. Someone used to say that they worked every time... Who was it?

"Nope!" Chiyo set the notebook and pen down on the counter and grabbed her purse. "Come along, Mai! We're off to get soba noodles!"

"No," I groaned, stuffing my head into the pillow. "I just want to stay here."

"Nope, you're coming with me." Chiyo grabbed the pillow. "Go put on some clothes and we'll leave. You look pale. Did you eat today?"

I ignored her and shuffled off to the bedroom, throwing on random clothes without paying attention. I just wanted to figure out where I wanted this scene to go... I didn't want to go out and socialize with someone, even if it was Chiyo. I just wanted... I just...

What did I want?

I walked back out, lost in thought. I came to when Chiyo sighed, examining my clothes. "Good enough. Come on!" She tugged me out of the apartment, me grabbing my keys and locking the door after us. We walked down the stairs and out the door, Chiyo chatting the whole way, upbeat and cheerful, while I was a dark cloud by her side.

We walked down the road, passing by soba noodle shops. Chiyo claimed that she was looking for a certain one, saying that it served the best noodles I would ever taste. I rolled my eyes at that, causing a lecture about my health.

"Aha! Here we are." It looked like all the other shops... Sighing, I followed Chiyo through the door and seated ourselves in a booth, looking over the menu. My stomach clenched as the smell of food reached my noise, and I couldn't tell whether I was hungry or just sick to my stomach...

I sighed and set my menu down. "I'm not really hungry-"

"Mai." Chiyo's voice was firm and not to be crossed with. "You are eating. You hear me?"

I sighed again and returned to the menu. "Just order me whatever's good."

The waiter came over and Chiyo ordered me the same thing that she wanted. After the waiter left, I slouched in my seat, closing my eyes. Chiyo was on her phone, texting someone, and the quiet chatter of the diner filled my ears, soothing me.

A loud voice broke through the clamor of the room.

"What'd you say, you rat?! You wanna take this outside?!"

"Don't be stupid, cat. We're inside the diner. Do be quiet."

My heart stopped as my eyes snapped open. I whipped my head around, eyes widened in shock, to see three teenagers walk into the diner. One of them had fiery orange hair and red eyes that brimmed with anger and a challenge, as he brandished his fist at the other boy. The other boy had silver hair and a bored look on his face, while the girl with long brown hair tried to break up their fight.

_Sohma..._

The boy with orange hair's eyes fell on me, and he froze. "Mai?!"

The other boy whipped around, and his eyes widened. _They recognize me... They know who I am! _

My heart pounding loudly in my ears, I shakily climbed to my feet. "I know you three... Where do I know you from?" My mouth was dry.

The girl's face was shocked as she looked back at the boy with silver hair. His face was also shocked, and he took a step back and didn't say anything.

_Sohma..._

"Sohma? Does that name mean anything to you?" I could feel tears pricking at my eyes, and I could feel Chiyo's shocked eyes on me, but all that mattered were the three teenagers that I knew... I knew so well...

The silver-haired boy seemed to get a hold of himself. "I'm sorry, miss. I don't think I know you." He turned to the others and started to usher them out of the diner.

Ignoring the fact that we had an audience, I ran out of the diner as they started up the street. "Wait!" I begged. "Please!"

The three of them turned around, and I fell to my knees, pain sweeping through me. "You said my name," I directed to the boy with the orange hair. "I heard you. I know you know me. Just please... What am I forgetting? A whole year of my life, gone?! It hurts... The pain is always present... I can't do this anymore!" Tears ran down my cheeks. "Please... just tell me I'm not going crazy..."

A memory swept through me.

_"I'm so used to celebrating Christmas that I forgot that we don't celebrate it in Japan," I said, laughing a bit. "I know I only spent five years in America, but five years is a lot!"_

_"I can imagine," a boy with silver hair murmured as he flipped a page in his book._

_The boy with orange hair was practicing his punches by the table, while the girl was cooking happily in the kitchen, singing a tune to herself. As I hung up another decoration, the sliding door opened, and a tall man with shaggy black hair and warm eyes stepped in, smiling cheerfully._

_"Ohoho, Mai-chan! Setting up for New Years?" He grinned at me._

_"Someone's got to do it, Shigure," I replied with a laugh._

I gasped with shock as I came out of it. "Shigure..." I murmured, testing the word out on my tongue. It was so familiar, and I was suddenly overwhelmed by the wave of emotion that accompanied it. I fell to the ground, hazy and disorientated, hearing from far away the gasps of the teenagers, and Chiyo's panicked voice, but that didn't matter.

All that mattered was the darkness that rushed over me, and a familiar warm smile that encompassed me like a soft glow.

_"Mai..."_

I knew nothing after that.

* * *

A/N

Ello! Eva here! So sorry about the wait. Marching band will be the death of me... *glares* Gotta love it, though!

So yes, the story. I wasn't expecting that plot twist when I was writing it, to be honest with you all. I didn't know it would take that dramatic of a turn o.O So we see some more memories come back, some more depth of emotion, and more Sohmas. I hope you like it so far.

After this story is done, I am planning on writing a prequel on Mai coming back to Japan and how she met Hatori and fell in love... I don't imagine that this story will be too long, but hopefully I can finish it before my senior year is up.

Thank you to all my lovely reviewers! I'm glad you like it so far :)

Please review!

~Eva Sirico~


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket**

* * *

_Flakes of snow floated gently to the ground, falling thickly through the air. I turned my face to the sky, a serene smile on my face, wrapped in a good winter's coat. Pulling the coat more securely around my shoulders, I huddled closer against the pillar supporting the deck._

_"I thought I would find you out here," a low, warm voice said quietly, and I heard footsteps coming to a stop behind me._

_My smile widened, but I didn't turn around. "And I guessed that you would come and find me," I said teasingly._

_"You guessed correctly." There was silence for a moment, but it wasn't an awkward. The silence was comfortable and peaceful. Closing my eyes, I rested my head against the pillar and listened to the sound of distant chatter coming from inside the house and the steady breathing of my companion._

_"Shigure and Ayame were becoming a little much?" I asked, hearing my friends' boisterous voices from somewhere inside._

_"Their consumption of alcohol was happening at a rather alarming rate." My companion let out an irritated sigh._

_"I think Ayame's staying the night. Are you?" I tried to not let the hope leak into my voice as I slowly opened my eyes._

_"No." _

_Disappointment shot through me, and I rested my head on my arms. "I suppose you have to look after Akito?"_

_"Yes. I must be on call in case something happens." I felt him come up beside me and we both stared at the serene landscape, cloaked in white. "I would stay if I could."_

_Surprised, I glanced up at him for the first time, but darkness started to cloud my vision. All that I could see was a small smile before it faded away into black._

* * *

I started awake. My lips were dry and cracked, and my eyelids were heavy. Struggling, I tried to turn my head but the action caused pain to lance through my skull. Finally I was able to open my eyes. I was on a hospital bed, and sunlight streamed in cheerily through the window to my right. Glancing down at my hand, I could see an IV attached to me. I shuddered, looking away. I hated needles.

A nurse came through the door and started, seeing me awake. She stuck her head out the door and talked to someone for a moment before turning back to me. "Glad you're awake, Mai." She checked one of the machines before making a note on her clipboard. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired." I licked my dry lips, and the nurse noticed. She poured me some water in a small paper cup, and I thanked her, taking it and drinking greedily.

"That's normal. You were out for most of the day. I'll let the doctor explain more."

An image came in of what happened outside the diner. "Are there three teenagers waiting for me?" I asked, praying that there were. If there weren't, then I had no idea how I was ever going to find out where they knew me from. I needed to know who I am.

"Yes. They're with their guardian and your agent." I breathed out a sigh of relief and sank back into the pillow. I watched in silence as she continued to check my vitals.

A man in a doctor's coat walked in. "Ah, Katamaya-san. Good to see that you're awake. My name is Hayato Ishimaru. Is it alright if I talk to you for a little bit?" I nodded as the nurse finished up and left. The doctor grabbed a chair and sat next to the bed, opening a manilla folder. "I'd like to ask you about your eating habits."

I shrugged, a grimace on my face. "I tend to skip meals a lot."

He nodded, his eyes fixed on a chart. "Right now, you're underweight. You're not very healthy, so you need to stop skipping meals. Is there a reason you don't eat?"

"I feel sick a lot. The thought of eating disgusts me."

He made a note on a sheet of paper. "We can run a few tests while you're here. How have you been feeling emotionally?"

I stared at the blankets in front of me, the feeling of loss and wrongness flooding back into me and I felt myself sink back into my mood of despair. "Bad," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Everything feels like it's falling apart. I can't cope with it. Something's missing... I've forgotten something important. I can't remember what it is!"

"Take a deep breath," Hayato instructed, and I complied, closing my eyes and trying to calm myself down. "Everything is going to be alright. Okay?"

"Okay," I whispered. A flash of white caught my eye and I looked up to see a man in a white doctor's coat striding away from the door. I frowned, watching the man disappear. _He looked familiar... Did I know him from somewhere?_

"Who's your doctor?" Hayato asked, referring back to a sheet. "There's no one listed on here."

A name jumped to my lips, but I frowned. "I don't know... I don't remember..."

Hayato gave me a searching look. "I'm going to go talk to another doctor while I let your visitors come in and see that you're alright."

"Thank you." I clutched the scratchy wool blanket with one hand.

"You're quite welcome." He strode from the room, and my gaze was drawn to the window. The outside world seemed so bright and cheerful, filled with sunlight and chirping birds... Life went on but I was stuck in the past, or at least my lack of a past...

My head dropped into my hands. _I want to remember... Let me remember..._

* * *

"She's ready for you to visit her," Hayato Ishimaru said, appearing in the doorway of the waiting room. "Please, not too many people at a time. Thank you." He walked away.

"I'm going first." With a determined look on her face, Chiyo stood up and marched from the room, leaving the other four people behind.

"Are you sure that it's a good idea for us to be here?" a teenager with bright orange hair asked, turning to look at a man with shaggy black hair.

"I hope she's alright," a teenage girl fretted.

"It's okay, Tohru. Mai was always strong. She'll pull through." The teenager that had said that was looking off towards Mai's room, a frown on his face.

"You're right, Yuki," the man said quietly, a serious look on his face. "She's always been strong." He sighed. "If Akito found out that we're here... or that she recognized you three..."

"She said your name, you know." Yuki's sharp eyes fixed on the man's face. "Shigure. She seemed to remember something."

Shigure's face became troubled and the four of them fell quiet for a moment. "Are we going to go see her?" Tohru asked tentatively.

Kyo's eyes widened, staring at someone behind Shigure. "Hatori?"

Hatori's face was blank, but Shigure frowned at the turmoil in his eyes. "Hatori... How is she?"

"Let's go home." The answer was short and direct.

"We have to see her!" Kyo argued. "It's killing her, not knowing. We have explain something!"

Hatori's eyes narrowed at the youth, but Kyo glared fiercely at him. Shigure turned to the three teenagers. "You three go on home. Start supper, be teenagers! You have the power of youth on your side! Go out and conquer the world!" The cheerful facade seemed to work on the three teenagers, and with dubious looks they filed out of the waiting room and towards the exit. Once they were gone, Shigure's smile dropped and he turned to Hatori.

Hatori was staring at a nearby wall. "It's obvious she has depression. While that can be cured with therapy and pills, I'm worried that it might develop into something more serious than depression." Shigure was grim and silent as he waited for Hatori to continue. "I caught a look at the doctor's charts. She's malnourished. Hasn't been eating right for a while, if anything at all." Hatori gazed at the hallway leading towards Mai's room.

Shigure watched him. "What are you going to do?"

A deep sigh escaped Hatori. "I don't know."

* * *

A/N

Hello, everyone! So sorry about the lateness of this chapter. School, marching band, and college visits/applications/interviews have seriously taken up all of my time. It'll all be over by November...

So I'm not sure about how I wrote Hatori and Shigure at the end. Thoughts?

Thank to everyone who reviewed! Each reviewer made my day ^.^

I'll try to have the next chapter up soon. Promise!

Please review!

~Eva Sirico~


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